Towed Video deployments in Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (Timor Sea), Western Australia (NERP)

Towed video surveys were carried out in targeted shallow seabed environments within the proposed Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in the Timor Sea. The survey concentrated on shelf habitats (< 200m) of the western part of the Oceanic Shoals CMR and included potential biodiversity hotspots such as pinnacles, banks and shoals. In total, 52 towed video transects were collected at depths of between 31 and 129 metres. Sampling involved habitat classification, conducted in real-time during the surveys, and taking downward and forward facing photographic still images at 5 second intervals for subsequent analysis. The cameras were towed across the shoals at a speed of 0.5 - 1.5 knots at an altitude of 0.5 - 2 metres above the seabed.

The Marine Biodiversity Survey of the proposed Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in the Timor Sea was a research collaboration between the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Geoscience Australia (GA), University of Western Australia (UWA) and the Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MGNT). The survey was undertaken between 12 September and 6 October 2012 on the AIMS Research Vessel, RV Solander, and formed part of the National Environmental Research Program (NERP) Marine Biodiversity Hub Theme 4: Regional Biodiversity Discovery to Support Marine Bioregional Plans.